Treatment of organic material



June 29 1926. 1,590,607

E. TAYLOR TREATMENT OF ORGANIC MATERIAL Filed July 2, 1924 2Sheets-Sheet 1 I E Q 5 5 5 9 N k N N 166/45 BURNER ROTATING UFO INVENTOR0 BY [M w *6 M, +M E 5 ATTORNEY! '9 June 29 1926. 1,590,607

E. TAYLOR TREATMENT OF ORGANIC MATEHIAL Filed July 2, 1924 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented June 29, 1926.

UNITE-D EDWIN TAYLOR, or am un zmw' roitm ssrenon 'ro 'mrnon mnomrronms,

me. or new YORK. N. Y.. A conronermn orimiw roux.

TREATMENT OI ORGANIC MATERIAL.

Am-memos" filed- I'uly- 2,

My invention relates to-improvements in the; treatment of organicmaterial im paii'tieula'rly w the treat'nintf of cellulose meteml formakin sheete'or" films of non- 6 fibrous" o'ellulose a a tedfor varioususes.

The main object of t e invention is to provide a ifiethodwherebys'zt'itl sheets or film may beiformedeontinuously in efiieient and"economical manner. "Fur therand more speeific ohj'edts; featuresendfldvanta es will mhre clearly'appear from thedeteil escriptien givenbelow taken in lammation; with the; aeeonipaiiyihg sheets 'off didwingswhich fox-in" a part ofithis specification. In thediawings Fig. 1 is'hvertieal' seetion' largely di a rarnrnaticah' through 3, portion of ane'ppdratusembodying my pigive hents in aprefrred form ther'eof."- 'g:21'is'. e similar vi'wjshowing another-glortibn g? the e'pparaitu'sen dFigI' ais eteil illustrating one riiethodofoontr'ollin the "flew ofdissolved oellulose or organic material to the supply crop hef Fig. 1.

"Referring to the drawi i represents w arm er substantiall 't-h wifdth'ofthe sheets or film to be r' need: sdid drum bejourrialed at 5 andprovided with a niokel psliited copper peripheral surface. The jdifi'hh"of the drum 4 are supgorted by hhhie week 6 and the drum is"? 8 rivenby means-er a worm '8 driving a; wa m gear 9 Seehi'ed" to the"dru1n, the8 being amen Byeworm ear ro 'inesmn with a.

' vifblm on it shaft 11 to which iss'oured a belt bw'er. Underneeth thedrum Land into whibh the drinn 4 dips, is afshallow trough 12supp0rtedupon suitithle' sup orting blocks 13. fExtehding arori'hdthe' rum 4 andf fitting closely to the sides-of the drum 4 'f'but spacedfslightlyfrom" the periphery tee-meagestetionary casing 15. '16 repreal g i'iisburner in a; (Pipe l'ig hich pipe l'f i s efie osed by a eylin rice-1met'alrnember 1sjpf i-iqrat q at 1 9 and o en; up the top at 29, heatedpipe lhheets the air sit uiidiilg the Seine in the'eylinder 18 oaiingfthe air to be drawn in through perfore iphs 19 and heated passed outu "through the passageway?!) to t e shite betweenfthe drum 441ml thesurroundpuil'ey lfi'driten from any suitable source of 1924. Serial No.723.654.

gn'fi enclosure "15 as indicated by the arrows in 1 1. indicates a woolcovered wooden ro dip rng into a trough of dilute sulphuric or n trioacid 23. t

The operation of the parts so far described may as follows. A solutionof oellulose, for etarnple cotton or other oellu'l'osic materieldissolved in a metal ammonia solutIo n su'cli as a,cupro-aifnmoiiiasolution; is placed the trough '12 and the dem se slowlytotated therethro h whereupon the surfece of the drum up e'fla eversolution and carries it 'diretlybver 't e jhot air-froth the passageway20.' The layer of cellulose solution on the drumcontinues incontaot-withfthis warm air as the drum rota-tes until the "drum asrotated ne'arl it whole revolution. "This-subjects the cillu oee'solutioli to em oration whereupbnit in dreeses' greatly stiffness and sothat it may be mechaniciilly handled like 1 "film or sheet. Thefilmpesses around the roller 22 whereby it is caused to pass through thedllute'ecid 23 which more or less hydrolyzes the cellulose rendering itendless liable td break in handlin e film (indicated at 24)-then passesfrom the M1122 over a; roll 25. The roll 22 causes the film to bestripped from the drum 1 and the surrounding chamber 15 is extended M226and 27 and the warm air follows the path of the filth until it passesout throu en exhaustopening 28} =The roll 25 is rit'en by means of aworm 29 on shaft 30 and inter mediate gears 31 from the shaft on whichthe worm gear 10 is located.

After passi over the roll '25 the of strip of somew at hardenedcellulose v solution passes through an electrolytic tank or cell 32. Forthis purpose the tank is pro-j somewliet tou her.

anodes 36 are connected to a common buss bar 38, and the cathodes 37 areconnected to a common buss bar 239, The electrolytic cell 32 is filledwith a suitable electrolyte such as dilute acid or ammonium nitrate andthe electrodes being energized as the film or strip passes thcrethrongh,the current will pass between the electrodes, through the film and causethe copper or metal solvent constituent in the cellulose to be removedby electrolytic action and deposited on the copper cathode freeing theammonia. which is given 01? as the gas and which by suitably coveringthe cell and conducting the ammonia away, may be'condensed and recoveredfor re-use. The cell 32 is provided with a valved drain-off pipe 40'andthe bottom of the cell is inclined toward this drain-off so that anysediment which may collect will be carried toward the drain-ofi' and maybe easily removed.

From the roll 35 the film or strip of cel lulose passes over a roll 41,down into a. tank 42 containing wash water. The film passes under a roll43 in the bottom of the tank and up out of the tank over a roll 44. Thetank in provided with a central pan tition or baffle 45 extending downnearly to roll 43. Wash water is run into the tank through pipe 46 andallowed to overflow through pipe 47 so that wash water travels throughthe tank in a direction counter to the movement of the filmtherethrough. This washing substantially frees the film of chemicalsfrom the electrolytic tank 32. A valved drain pipe for the tank 42 isshown at 48.

For certain purposes the film may be treated with caustic soda. For thisurpose the film is shown running from t e roll 44 over a roll 49 downinto a tank .50 filled with caustic soda solution, say of spec. gravityof 1.2 to 1.3, the film passing under the roll 51 in the bottom of thetank and then up and out over roll 52. The tank 50 .is shown as providedwith a valve drain otl' pipe at 53. The tank 50 is provided with steamheating pipes 50* in order to heat the solution therein when and to theextent desired. This treatment with caustic soda may be used to produceva 'ious efiects in the cellulose film or sheet as described in mycopending application Ser. No. 720,525 filed June 17, 1924. V

From the roll 52 the film is shown as pass ing over roll 70 and underrolls 59 and u over rolls 60, alternately, in a wash tank I; (see Fig.2). Thesvash water is con tiir:- ously introduced through pipe 62 andoverflows through pipe 63. The tank is provided with battle partitions64extending up wardly from the bottom of the tank and withdownwardlyextending movable bafilc partitions 65 adapted to slide up and down ingromcs in the side walls of the tank and carrying at their lower endsthe jfihrnal'jsin which the rolls 59 are journalcd. The balil-es 65 maybe easily lifted by rods 68 attached to the tops of the battles havingrings 66 at the .upper ends thereof. The rods 65 pass through transversemembers 67 supported on the top of the tank and are held inadjust-edposition therein by set. screwgw. The baflles 64 and 65 cause the washwater to travel up and down in the tank and flow t-herethrough in adirection counter to the movement of the film through the tank so thatit is given a thorough washing to remore surplus chemicals therefrom.

From the roll 57 I next preferably pass the film strip down into a tank61,under a roll 56 in the bottom thereof and up out over a roll 54. Ipreferably treat the cellulose film in the tank 55 with a solution ofglycerine and water which serves to render the film tough and elasticand for. this purpose the tank 61 may be filled with a solution ofgycerine and water containing about 30% glycerine and 70% water. Thesolution is preferably heated as by steam pipes 58. The proportions,etc. may be changed to produce various efi'ects as described in my saidcopending application Ser. No. 720,525.

The cellulose film passes from the tank 61 over roll 54 and into adrying chamber 71 wherein it first passes around a small guide roll 72and then around a large drum 73 and then in the opposite directionaround another large drum 74, whence it passes 1 around a small guideroller 7 5, thence out of the. drying chamber under a guide roller 76and onto a take up reel 77. Warm air is caused to circulate over thecellulose film as it passes through the drying chamber in order to drythe film to the desired extent. The warm air is produced by means of agas burner 78 in a pipe 79 whereby the air in the cylinder 80surrounding the pipe 79 is heated. The air enters the cylinder 80through apertures 81 in the bottom there.- of and after being heatedpasses out through the top and through a passageway 82 into the mainpart of the dryer where by reason of the interposition of the travellingfilm it is caused to How down under the drum 74 then up past the filmthrough laterally extending by-passes 83 and over the top of the drum 73in contact with the other side of the film and thence out through theexhaust passage 84. 85 represea s a glass covered window for inspectingthe operation from the outside. The drums IS and 74 are preferably openat both ends but run close to the sides of the drying chamber and Ipreferably make. the no riphery of the drums of monel metal. 1

In order to keep the level of the solution in the trough 12 at asubstantially constant lrrcl, the method illustrated in Fig. 3 may beemployed wherein the trough 12 is shown eminerterl with an elevatedsolution tank so by means ol' pipe RT entering the bottom of the tank 86and adapted to he closed by a valve 88 therein. The valve 88 is carriedon a spindle 89 guided at the bottom by a guide 90 fixed thereto andoperating in the pipe 87. The upper end of the spindle passes throughthe top of the tank 86 and carries a collar 91 fixed thereto. Betweenthe collar 91 and the top of the tank is a coiled compression springtending to open the valve 88 and allow solution to run from the tankinto the trough 12. Secured to the upper end of the spindle 89 is thecore or armature 92 operating within a solenoid electro-magnet 93connected in circuit with a source of electric current 94 by means ofswitch 95. \Vhen the trough 12 becomes filled tothe desired height withthe solution, the solution will complete the circuit through twocontacts 96 in the end of the trough thereby energizing the solenoid,causing it to close the valve 88. \Vhen the level of the solution in thetrough 12 dro s below the contacts 96 the circuit will tie opened andthe coiled spring will open the valve 88 thus regulating the supply ofsolution to the trough to maintain the level of the solution thereinsubstantially constant.

In case it is desired to impregnate the film with metal constituents orthe like, the same may be accomplished by placing the treatment reagentsin the tank 50. For ex ample if it is desired to roduce a substitute fortin foil, I prefera ly place in the tank 50 a solution of tin hydrate incaustic soda. This solution may be made ,by Inixing about 1 volume of asuspension of tin hydrate in Water containing about 10% metallic tin,with 3 volumes of a 22% caustic soda solution. Then while the film isassing therethrough the solution of tin by rate in caustic soda isboiled by heat from the steam pipes 50. With an ordinary thin film orstrip of the cellulose I referably adjust the speed of the same so thatit will remain in the boiling solution for about fifteen minutes. Thiscauses the formation I believe of sodium stannate, and the dep ositionof metallic tin in the cellulose Whereby the film is impregnated withmetallic tin and gives to the film substantially the properties of tinfoil except it is much stronger; it being understood that after thisimpregnation with the tin, the film is passed through the glyeerine bathand washed and dried as above described.

While I have described my improvements in great detail and with respectto a preferred embodiment thereof, I do not desire to be limited to suchdetails or forms since many changes and modifications may be made andthe improvements embodied in widely different forms without departingfrom the spirit .aud scope thereof in their broader aspects; hence Idesire to cover all modifications and forms coming within the languageor scope of any one or more of from said carrier, and passing the beltor strip through an electrolytic cell to remove solvent constituentsfrom the cellulose material by electrolytic action.

2. The method of treating organic material which consists in passing acarrier throu h a solution of the organic material where y the carrierpicks up a layer of the solution, subjecting the solution onthe car rierto evaporation to substantially increase the stillness of the solutionand form a sub stantially continuous strip of the solution, removingsaid strip from the carrier and passing the same through an electrolyticcell to remove solvent constituents from the organic material byelectrolysis.

3. The method of treating cellulosic or organic material which consistsin passing a carrier through a solution of the material whereby thecarrier picks up a layer of the solution, subjecting the solution toevaporation on the carrier to increase the stiffness of the solution andform a substantially continuous strip of the solution, and withoutstopping passing said stri through an electrolytic cell to remove solvent constituents from the material electrolytically, and withoutstopping passing the strip through a wash water tank and then through adrying apparatus.

4. The method of treating cellulosic or organic material which consistsin passing a carrier through a solution of the material whereby thecarrier picks up a layer of the solution, subjecting the soluti n toevaporation on the carrier to increase the stiffness of theisolution andform a substantially continuous strip of the solution, and with outstopping passing said strip through an electrolytic cell to removesolvent constituents from the material electrolytically, and withoutstopping passing the strip through a glycerine tank and a wash wate tankand then through a drying apparatus.

5. The method of treating cellulosic or other organic material whichconsists in passing a strip of the material containing a metallicelement through an electrolytic cell to remove the metallic element fromthe material by electrolytic action, and without metallic element fromthe material by elecstopping passing the strip through a wash trolytioaction, and without stopping passtank and drying apparatus. ing thestrip through glyeerine and drying 10 6. The method of treatingcellulosic mateapparatus.

rial containing a metallic element which con- In testimony whereof Ihave signed my sists in passing a strip of the material name to thisspecification.

through an electrolytic cell to remove the EDWIN TAYLOR.

material by electrolytic action, and without metallic element from thematerial by elecsto ping passing the strip through a wash trolyticaction, and withoutstoppmg passtan and drying apparatus. mg the stripthrough glycerine and drying 10 6. The method of treating cellulosicmateapparatus 5 rial containing a metallic element which con- Intestunony whereof I have signed my I sists in passing a strip of thematerial name to this specification.

through an electrolytic cell to remove the EDWIN TAYLOR.

CERTIFICATE or CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1, 590,607, granted June 29, 1926.

l m EDWIN TAYLOR.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specificationof the 2 above mentioned patent requiring correction as follows: Page 1,line 100, for the word"'represents" read "represent"; page 2, line 27,for the word "in" read "is"; line 82, after the word "up" insert theword "and", and line 88, for the mispelled word "gycerine" read"glycerine"; and that the said LcttcrsPatent should be read with thesecorrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the casein the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 8th day of March, A. D. 1927.

M. J. Moore, Seal. Acting Commissioner of Patents.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1, 590,607, granted June 29, 1926.

m EDW] N TA YLOR.

It is hereby certified that error appears be printed specification ofthe above mentioned patent requiring correction as follows: Page 1, line100, for the word"represents" read "represent"; page 2,, line 27, forthe word "in" read "is"; line -82, after the word "up" insert the word"and", and line 88, for the mispelled word "gycerine" read "glycerine";and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these correctionstherein that the same may conform to the record of the case in thePatent Office.

Signed and sealed this 8th day of March, A. D. 1927.

M. J. Moore, Seal. Acting Commissioner of Patents.

